Home / Arts and Entertainment / Dolly Parton Sings in Welsh Posthumously
Dolly Parton Sings in Welsh Posthumously
2 Oct
Summary
- A new version of Jolene features Dolly Parton singing in Welsh.
- The posthumous release is a collaboration with Bronwen Lewis.
- The single is scheduled for release on October 9.
A reimagined version of Dolly Parton's classic "Jolene" is set to be released on October 9, featuring the country music legend singing in Welsh. This posthumous single is a collaboration between Parton, Welsh singer-songwriter Bronwen Lewis, and Parton's niece, Jada Star. The recording was completed prior to Parton's passing on August 25. Lewis, a proud Welsh speaker, initially gained attention for her viral video singing "Jolene" in Welsh. This led to a friendship with Jada Star and the idea for the unique collaboration. Star expressed the profound impact of visiting Wales and connecting with her family's heritage there. Parton recorded her parts from her Nashville studio, having learned the phonetics of Lewis's translation, with the intention of a future meeting that sadly could not occur. Lewis and Star felt a deep privilege to have worked with Parton and were determined to complete the project as she would have wanted. This is not Parton's first venture into multilingual music; she previously recorded songs in Latin and collaborated with an Irish folk band. The article also touches upon Parton's revealed Welsh ancestry, with her mother's family, the Owens, believed to have roots in Wales, specifically Machynlleth according to recent research.
